Exercise Calories..

Sierrasmommy
Sierrasmommy Posts: 90
edited September 21 in Food and Nutrition
Ok people...

1) Do you eat your exercise calories each and everyday?

2) If so, do you think it helps you when its time to hit the scale?

3) When do you feel is the most beneficial time to workout? morning before breakfast, after breakfast, afternoon, or nighttime after dinner...

**I work out int he morning before breakfast, I try to eat my exercise calories everyday, and I dont see the scale budging very much. Im curious if lowering my calorie intake would be beneficial for me...

Let the posts begin!

Replies

  • frankborelli
    frankborelli Posts: 218 Member
    Do a search and I think you'll find several previous posts about this.

    I don't avoid eating my exercise calories and I don't TRY to eat my exercise calories. I view those extra available calories as my "cheat" calories. If I want dessert and I have enough exercise calories tagged on, then I can have dessert. If I didn't make it to the gym that day... oh, well. No dessert.

    I don't think there's any particular advantage to eating the exercise calories or not. I found my biggest challenge was in accurately logging the calories I took in.

    As to the most beneficial time to workout, I've never really considered it. I get to the gym when I can and log my other exercise too (for instance, mowing the lawn today). Calories burned are calories burned no matter when you do it in the day. I've recently learned that how much you eat when is really important. Eating a good breakfast (I eat about 600 calories a day for breakfast), a good lunch and a healthy dinner is important. Snacks in between matters too. What you want to avoid is not eating all day, consuming all your calories at dinner and then relaxing. Do a search for the "Sumo Weight Gain Science" and you'll see that's exactly what they do - to intentionally get fat!

    Good luck!
  • absie107
    absie107 Posts: 290
    Weight loss takes time. It didn't take you a year to get to whatever weight you are, it will take a long time to lose things in a healthy way. I wasn't eating mine, but I also had headaches... so I started eating most of them. Just give it time... and I either go to the gym in the morning with a little something to eat before I go, or I go in the afternoon, two hours after lunch.

    You got this. Re-evaluate your activity level. I set mine to sedentary - I'm a college student and walk a lot, but I do spend a lot of time on my butt, like right now haha. But I'm eating my exercise calories... I just want to feel healthy, live healthy. I still have a lot I need to do e.g. trying to eat locally, trying to cut down on foods with lots of ingredients, but I think the flub will go and the muscle will come over time.

    Keep it up, maybe change your exercise routine... but above all, know what you're putting in your body and eat whole foods. But not from Whole Foods, necessarily, because big organic isn't that great. :-)
  • Liv_Curry
    Liv_Curry Posts: 12 Member
    I've heard it's best to work out in the evenings to help burn off the caloric intake from the day. My alloted calories is 1,640 and I usually eat at or just slightly below or above that and then i try to work out so that I get at least 500 of those calories back as net.

    i think the goal is to keep your exercise calories as a positive on the daily average.

    i like working out in the evenings because i know what the minimum amount of calories are that i need to burn off to still be in good standing

    good luck!
  • Liv_Curry
    Liv_Curry Posts: 12 Member
    try a schedule change for 2 weeks and see what happens
  • raspberrymerlot
    raspberrymerlot Posts: 22
    1) I will eat some, depending on how intense my workout was, and how much was earned. A hard workout will require extra fuel to recover...
    2) I think it does.
    3) Whenever I can fit it in. I have 2 young children, a husband on shift work, and I work part-time... I fit in what I can, when I can.
  • onyxlibra7
    onyxlibra7 Posts: 93
    This is what I DO...not saying what ne one else does..bc to each his/her own. What works for SOME does NOT work for all. That's why it's so important to listen to ur body and monitor when it cooperates and when it doesn't. Okay what I do...lol I sometimes don't hit the daily req. for my goal. In my head I'm thinking 1200..MFP says 1500 according to my weight. So I figure...if I go over I'm totally fine. With that being said I usually never touch my exercise cals...it's worked thus far but as my weight lowers I may have to change it up. So see what works for you...if have been eating them...stop or just eat half. See if ur scale moves. If it does there you go! If it doesn't eat less of them..and so on. Hope this helps! *muah* =)
  • Jamiebee24
    Jamiebee24 Posts: 296 Member
    1) No
    2) I think its very risky to eat ALL of your exercise calories everyday if you are trying to loose weight---ESPECIALLY if you don't have a HRM!! That's just my opinion!
    3)I always workout first thing in the morning--it gets me going and makes me want to eat good for the rest of the day! I do the gym in the morning, take a mid morning walk/jog and then do a workout video in the afternoon and feel amazing :)

    I usually have at least 300 calories leftover. I've lost consecutively for the past month and a half....so, I do not think that all of your exercise calories are meant to be eaten...
  • onyxlibra7
    onyxlibra7 Posts: 93
    Oh and I workout whenever I can.lol My zumba classes are in the pm on some days and when I don't have a class I usually workout in the a.m. I have no scientific evidence I do as I feel. 500 cals burned is 500 cals burned baby! As long as you're movin'!
  • gamecock
    gamecock Posts: 36
    I agree with the above poster about the heart rate monitor. If you dont know exactly how many calories you are burning it can really mess you up. This question is asked alot and everyone has a different response. It really boils down to everyone's body is different and what works for you may not work for me. Just switch it up one week and see if anything changes. Good luck with your goals!!
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
    1) Do you eat your exercise calories each and everyday? 85-100% of them, but then I use a HRM so I'm not worried by eating too many of my exercise calories back. And I only eat them if I'm hungry. There's days where I'm just not hungry so I won't eat them, but then I might have a day where eating exercise calories I'm still starving so I'll eat a little more knowing I didn't eat my exercise calories from the day before (it all comes out in the wash since I weigh once a week).

    2) If so, do you think it helps you when its time to hit the scale? I've consistently lost 1 lb a week, more if I'm not hungry enough to eat my exercise calories so I would say it definitely isn't hurting me!

    3) When do you feel is the most beneficial time to workout? morning before breakfast, after breakfast, afternoon, or nighttime after dinner... I work out in the afternoons during the week because I am NOT a morning person and I tend to have more energy providing I eat a good breakfast, healthy lunch and at least 48 ounces of water by the time I get home. On the weekends I'll workout as soon as I get out of bed so I know how many calories I have to work with for the day and to make sure it gets done.
  • becky1313
    becky1313 Posts: 6
    I am a huge fan of Jillian Michales, and listen to what she says. According to her, and other trianers I know, it does not matter when you work out... all that matters is that you work out.
    I tend to work out in the morning... it get's me going for the day and a less of a chance of me skipping it. If i wait until night time.. who knows if I will do it or not!

    I also stuggle with... do I eat my calories that I burn while working out... i am going to try not to.. or maybe eat half of them.
    Also,if you are working out.. doing weights and cardio, eat some protein bars or a drink. It helps with the muscles.
    This is my first day on here, and I am so excited. I am going to just eat a little of my work out calories.. and save the rest!

    Good Luck!
  • rvanderpool3
    rvanderpool3 Posts: 12 Member
    I have read that there is a small advantage to exercising before breakfast, but honestly unless you are trying to shave off that last percent of body fat, it really doesn't matter. Personally, I exercise when I can. I HATE running in the mornings, so I run at 11PM at night. Sometimes I run a little extra so I can have ice cream :-). Basically, exercise when you can. None of us are in good enough shape to where it matters when we work out.

    With regards to whether or not you should eat your exercise calories, it really depends on how you feel. If you are hungry, eat them. Your body is trying to tell you something. Eat something that is not totally full of sugar that will be filling to you(I like almonds and peanuts).

    If the scale is not budging, try taking a break for a few days. I have found that after a few weeks of weight loss, my metabolism figures out what I am doing and adjusts. So every few weeks I will try to stay even on my calorie count. Then like magic, after I start back, my metabolism resets.

    Most importantly thought, make sure what you enter in to MyFitnessPal is accurate. I err on the side of caution and usually enter a few too many calories if I am unsure. Personally, I have lost 70 lbs since November with MyFitnessPal, so it is possible if you just stick to it. Remember, this adventure is about more than the scale. The lifestyle changes you have made will pay off if you stick to it!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories